Base leveling device



April 18, 1961 T. LONGBOTHAM BASE LEVELING DEVICE Filed March 10, 1959 j 64 e2 ,l3

INVENTOR. 64

THOMAS LONGBOTHAM ATTORNEY United. States atent C) BASE LEVELING DEVICE Thomas Longbotham, 1721 NE." 38th Ave., Portland, Oreg.

Filed Mar. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 798,506 6 Claims. c1. 45-139) This invention relates to a device for leveling a cabinet, machine or other structure on an uneven or sloping floor surface.

Devices have heretofore been devised for adjusting the feet or legs of a structure in order to cause them to rest firmly on an uneven surface. Devices have also been proposed for leveling or tilting a structure in one direction relative to a flat supporting surface. The devices heretofore proposed, however, have not been capable of accommodating an uneven surface and at the same time leveling the structure in all directions.

In the case of a machine or a cabinet, such as a refrigerator, freezer or cooking range, the structure is often required to stand on an uneven surface. In addition to being uneven or'irregular, the floor surface may have a definite slope in one direction as in the case of a concrete basement floor which may slope toward a drain. Also,

very. heavy cabinets, such as stoves, refrigerators and freezer cabinets, may eventually cause a floor on wooden joists and beams to sag whereby changing position is encounteredduring use. In all such cases it is desirable to be able to level the structure not only at the time of its installation but also in the event the. structure is moved to a different position on the floor. and in the event the floor sags perceptibly subsequent to installation. It is further desirable to have some means for indicating an out of level condition at all times so that such condition can be corrected before it becomes extreme.

The general object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a novel and improved base leveling device which will accommodate itself to an uneven floor surface and also'level the structure supported on such base.-

Other objects are to provide a base leveling device which includes its own built in level indicator; to provide a base leveling device of general application to all kinds of portable machines, cabinets and other structures and to provide a device of the type described which is strong and durable and relatively compact and which is conveniently adjustable without the use of separate tools or instruments either in making the adjustments or in determining that the structure has been properly leveled.

The present base leveling device comprises a pair of parallel beams which may be pivotally mounted intermediate their ends directly on opposite sides of the structure to be supported, The ends of the beams are equipped with feet to provide a four point support on the floor.

' The pivotal mountings of the beams lie in a common axis of tilt whereby the structure may be leveled in one direction by tilting it on such axis. In addition, onefl of provided in one direction and when the door is opened to an angle of 90, a level indication is provided in a transverse direction. When a structure does not have a vertically hinged door, a single level bubble tube may be mounted on a vertically hinged plate which will swing through 90 to provide a level indication in directions parallel with and at right angles to the tilt axis of the supporting beams. Also, a universal type of bubble level indicator may be installed in a horizontal position in the structure to indicate tilt in any direction. The invention will be better understood and the foregoing and other objects and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated on the accompanying drawing. Various changes may be made, however, in the construction and arrangement of parts and certain features may be used without others, all such modifications within the scope of the appended claims being included in the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a household refrigerator equipped with the present base leveling device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the refrigerator showing the open position of the refrigerator door in broken lines;

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 77 in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is anenlarged sectional view taken on the line 88 in Figure 4;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 in Figure 6; I

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a level indicator mounted on an electric range; and

Figure I1 is a view similar to Figure 10 showing the level indicator in a different position.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a refrigerator cabinet 10 having a door 11 mountedon vertical hinges 12 to swing open through an angle of at least. 90 as indicated in broken lines at 11 in Figure 2. The numeral 13 designates av conventional spirit level type of bubble tube mounted on the door in horizontal position in the plane of the door. Q

- As shown in Figures 3-5, the left side of the refrigerator as viewed in Figures 1 and 3 is supported by, a beam 15 having feet 16 at its opposite ends and the right side of the refrigerator is supported by abeam 2! having a pair of feet ZE-at its opposite ends. The refrigerator cabinet is mounted for rocking movement on a pivot For easeof adjustmentthis pivot axis is preferably located the pivotal bearn supports may be moved up and down a relative to the structure to elevate or depressone end of the tilt axis for leveling in a direction longitudinally of the tilt axis.

Preferably, either thebaseportion or. the structure supported thereon is equipped with its own level indicator. 1 Whenthe structure is a cabin'ethaving. a' door hingedfon a vertical axis, a single level'bubble tube is mounted'iti the door. When-the door is closed a level indication is 7 under the'center of gravity of the loaded cabinet whereby the cabinet is in approximate balance on the pivot axis. Thus/the pivots 22 and 23 arenot necessarily located at n the'centersof the beams 15 and 20 but the beams should be parallelwith each other and the. pivot axis should be pe'rpendiemar' to the beams.

Referring now toFigures 4 and 8, the pivot 22 inthe I present embodiment comprises a screw having secure threaded engagement in'a tapped hole 24 in aside wall 1 of the cabinet 10 or base portion thereof, the beam having a smooth hole for free pivotal movement on a smooth unthreaded portion of the screw 22. A gear sector 25 is also mounted for rotation on screw 22 and equipped with oneor'more lugs 26 which look into recesses in the beam 15 to prevent relative movement between the gear sector and beam. The gear sector 25 may comprise an integral portion of beam 15, if desired.

Gear sector 25 meshes with a worm 27 on an adjusting shaft 28. The rear end of shaft 28 is journaled in a suitable bearing in a lug 29 on the inside wall of cabinet 10 while the front endof the shaft is journaled in a bearing '30 in the front;wall of the cabinet. The front end of shaft 28 projectsthrough the front of the cabinet and is equipped with an adjusting knob 31 by which the shaft may be rotated. The bearings at 29 and 30 prevent longitudinal movementof shaft 28.

Turning now to Figures '5, 6 and 9, the pivot 23 for which is movable vertically in a slot 40 in the wall of cabinet 10. Slide block 35may be raised and lowered in the slot 40 by a screw '37 which has threaded engagement with the slide block; The ends of screws 37 are V the beam comprises a journal on a slide block 35 journaled in suitable bearings 38, 39 which prevent endwise movement of the screw. Screw 37 is'rotated by a worm gear 36 which is in mesh with a worm 41 on an adjusting shaft 42. The ends of shaft 42 are journaled in bearings 43 and 44 which'prevent endwise movement of the shaft, the front end of the shaft extending through the cabinet'front wall and being equipped with an adjusting knob 45. Thus, the pivot 23 may be raised and lowered relative to the cabinet by turning the knob 45.

The cabinet walls may be reinforced, if necessary, to'

provide adequately secure mountings for the pivots 22 and 23 or these pivots may be mounted in a heavier frame or base portion of the cabinet which carries the wall panels.

One end of each beam 15 and 20 is clamped in adjusted position bya clamp screw 50 as shown in Figure 7. The clamp screws 50 extend through arcuate' slots 51 in the beams. Each screw 50 has a head on its inner end to engage the surface of the beam and a threaded shank passing througha smooth round hole 52 in the wall of the cabinet. -When nut 53 is tightened, the beam is clamped rigidly against the cabinet wall and, when nut 53 is loosened, the beam may rock on its pivot to the extent permitted by slot 51. Also, theslot 5 1 in beam 20is' wide enough to accommodate. the amount of .ver-

tical adjustment of pivot 23 which is provided by vertical screw 37 and'slot 40without 'binding'the pivotal movementof the beam.

Figures 10 and ll'show a cooking range 60 which does ncthave a vertically hinged door on which to mount a level position on the pivots 22 and 23 as indicated by the spirit level 13. The left-hand clamp nut 53 in Figure 1 is then tightened to clamp the beam 15 and provide in effect a single rigid foot for the left side of the cabinet. This clamp might appear unnecessary in view of the selflocking nature of the worm adjustment but the clamp is desirable because of a certain amount of unavoidable looseness or lost motion in the worm and gear adjustment parts.

Then the door 11 isclosed to bring the spirit level 13 into parallelism with the pivot axis of pivots 22, 23 and the cabinet is raised or lowered relative to pivot 23 by turning knob 45 as may be necessary to level the cabinet in a direction longitudinally of the pivot axis. Finally, he beam 20 is-rigidly clamped by tightening the righthand clamp nut 53 in Figure 1.

The same procedure is followed in the case. of the range illustrated inFigures 10 and 11. In this case the pivot axis would preferably be parallel with thecontrol panel 64 so that by swinging the spirit level plate out at right angles as shown in Figure 11, the range could be rocked on the'pivot axis to level position in a direction transverse tothe axis. Then, swinging the spirit'level plate 61 back against the panel 64 into a position parallel with the pivot axis, the vertically. adjustable end of that axis would be raised or lowered relative to the range to attain level position of the range top. Obviously, if the cabinet or structure is leveled in two directions at right angles, it will then be level in all directions.

If the cabinet is moved or if the floor should settle, it is a simple matter to re-level the cabinet at any time, all the necessary adjustments 31; 45 and 53 being at or conveniently adjacent the'front of the cabinet. The leveling procedure may be varied if desired by leveling longitudinally' of the pivot'axis first andthen, as a subsequent step, rocking the cabinet to level-position in the direction spirit level for 90 swinging movement as shown in Figure'2. 'In such case the bubble tube 13 is mounted in horizontal position in the plane of a plate 61, which is connected by a vertical hinge-62with a plate 63 on a convenient vertical surface such as the control'panel 64. Plate 61 will swing the bubble tube through 90,

.as shown in Figure 11, to provide level indications in two directions at right angles to each other.

1 From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the two beams 15 and 20 will adjust themselves to an transverse of the pivot axis. I

Although the mechanism of the present'base leveling device is shown as incorporated in wall'por'tions of the cabinet itself, it willbe apparent that the compactness of the mechanism will enable it to be contained within a separate or attached base or frame member or in a platform type of base or table for various purposes. The incorporation of the spirit lcvelin the cabinet or base has the advantage of providing a readily available means to. check and correct'an out-of-level condition at any time and as frequently as may be desirable without the necessity for keeping available aportable hand level for suchpurpose,

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what Iiclaim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 5

1. In a cabinet having a vertlcally hinged door, a pair of horizontal beams pivotall'y mounted on opposite sides and said cabinet, means for securing said beams in adjusted position, anda spiritlevel-mounted in horizontal position in said'door, saidspirit level being movable with irregular or uneven floor-surface so that all four of .the

feet16, 16, 21, 21 will bear upon such surface; It will further be apparent that the cabinet 10 may beleveled ina direction transverse to the pivot axisby rockingthe cabinet on-the two pivots 22, 23 and that the cabinet may beleveled in a direction longitudinallyr of the pivot axis 'by raising or loweringtherightside ofthe; cabinet relative to the pivot axis as viewed in Figures 1 'ancl 3.

' In order to level the cabinet, the clampnuts 53 are first loosened, thecabinet being stabilizedbyworm-M; Then the door'll is swung out at .right angles ;to the f pivot axis "and knob V 31 is turned to saiddoor to aposition'parallelwith saidbeams-and to a position parallel withthe pivotal axis of'said beams. 1 i 2.1a a cabinet having a vertically hinged door, a spirit level onfsaid door mounted in horizontal position parallel with the plane of the door, a; pair of beams pivotally mounted on opposite sides of the cabinet on independent rocking movement relative to the cabinet about a common pivotalja'xisgsaid' pivotal axisl--being parallel with said door in the closed positionof the door and said beams being parallel with'said door whenthe door is opened 90,

feet on the ends of said beams forfsupportingthe-cabinet *"on a floor, means forye'rtically adjusting the pivotal iconnection of one ofsaidbeams with saidcabineh'andmeans for securing said beams in adjustedpositions-, 1'

3. In a cabinet having a base with front, back and opposite side faces, a pair of parallel horizontal supporting beams pivotally mounted on said opposite sides for independent rocking movement relative to said base about a common pivotal axis, means on said front face for adjusting said rocking movement of one of said beams, means on said front face for vertically adjusting the pivotal mounting of the other beam relative to said base, and means on said opposite sides adjacent said front face for clamping said beams in adjusted positions.

4. A base leveling device for a structure comprising a pair of parallel beams on opposite sides of the structure pivotally connected with said structure for independent rocking movements about a common pivotal axis, a gear sector on one of said beams, a worm meshed with said gear sector for adjusting the rocking movement of said one beam, a vertical screw in said structure, a nut on said screw having a pivot for said pivotal connection of said other beam, a worm wheel on said screw, and a worm meshed with said worm wheel for vertically adjusting said pivot.

5. A base leveling device for a stationary structure comprising a frame, a pair of parallel beams on opposite sides of said frame, a foot on each end of each beam providing flexible quadruped support for said frame on an uneven supporting surface, one of said beams being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said frame, means for securing said one beam in adjusted position, a pivotal mounting for the other beam intermediate its ends, said beams having pivotal movement relative to each other and to said frame and said frame having rocking movement on said two pivotal moutings to level the frame in a direction parallel with said beams, adjustable means to References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 226,212 Van Bibber Apr. 6, 1880 824,525 Bonney June 26, 1906 1,672,588 Turnidge et a1. June 5, 1928 1,901,947 Bescherer Mar. 21, 1933 2,544,822 Brown Mar. 13, 1951 2,752,692 Smith July 3, 1956 2,828,578 McCabe Apr. 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 172,195 England Dec. 8, 1921 

